He hopes the IBM agreement will let Mincom take a larger piece of the EAM pie, estimated to be worth $US1.9 billion in 2002, or 10 per cent of the total enterprise resource planning market.

Under the agreement, the companies will share their skills and resources to develop, market and sell hardware, software and services globally.

Initially, the companies will target Mincom's strongholds of utilities, transportation and defence.

Merson said the first offerings would be available in six months. Mincom joins IBM's global Solution Developer Program (SDP) which supports software developers who build solutions that use IBM technologies.

"The combination of Mincom software and IBM hardware will enhance our ability to provide a total solution to our customers," Merson said.

Earlier this year, Mincom signed a multimillion dollar contract with Boeing -- a project that will eventually be rolled out at all 90 of Boeing's plants.

David Thodey, IBM general manager commercial business division, said Mincom was its first partner in the Asia-Pacific region. He said IBM formed a partnership with Mincom, instead of purchasing the software, because: "We don't want to own everything, we want to stick to doing what we're good at."

Thodey said the agreement was also strategic to IBM's e-business strategy.

"Mincom provides business solutions that allow organisations to use networks to drive their businesses online," he said.

"There is a huge potential for value in e-commerce infrastructure and solutions," Merson said. "It makes sense in terms of locking into the expansion of the industry."

Related Whitepapers

Copyright 2018 IDG Communications. ABN 14 001 592 650. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of IDG Communications is prohibited.